Fearsome Threesome Soft Touch After Rain

June 15, 1990|By Melissa Isaacson.

Fast greens? Impossible inclines?

What are those? Or rather, where were those?

Ominous predictions of peril and precariousness on the second, 13th and 17th holes at Medinah Country Club turned out, Thursday, to be nothing more than hype washed away by an early morning downpour and hurried groundskeeping preparations on the first day of the United States Open.

Golfers were borderline delirious over the drastically slower greens on the most troublesome par-3 holes. The majority shot par or better on what many considered, going into the tournament, to be among the toughest holes on the course.

Part of the reason for the proliferation of pars and bevvy of birdies was the inch-and-a-half of rain that fell in the early morning. That led to softer, wetter and slower greens.

``I was hoping the greens would soften up,`` said first-round leader Tim Simpson. ``I knew the USGA wouldn`t do it, so God did it.``

Well, maybe God and the Medinah groundskeepers. Superintendent Dan Quast said the rain postponed his staff`s work by an hour Thursday morning, and ultimately forced them to forgo two crucial steps in preparing the greens. ``We weren`t able to do any double-mowing or turf-grooming (which ensures a specific length)`` Quast said. ``And we didn`t have a chance to run the Stimpmeter (which measures the greens` speed).``

Quast said the heat and humidity, coupled with the less-than-efficient mowing, left the grass longer, slowed the greens down considerably and undoubtedly affected Thursday`s scores. ``All you have to do is look at the leader board to see that,`` he said.

For Friday`s play, USGA officials have directed Quast to double-mow and groom all the greens but No. 2.

``Because everyone`s still complaining about the speed on two,`` Quast said.

For the most part, however, the complaints were scarce. Even Curtis Strange, who shot a disappointing 1-over-par 73, extolled Thursday`s conditions.

``Today,`` Strange said, ``Medinah was pretty much defenseless.``

The green on No. 13-the old No. 17-is surrounded by sand, and water borders a bunker on the short side. The slope, from back to front, makes it a critical placement hole. Like Nos. 2 and 13, the green on 17 also plays over Lake Kadijah and slopes toward the water.

``There`s considerable slopes in them, yes,`` said John Mahaffey,

``but it`s not fair to say they`re unfair.``

The real difficulty on Nos. 13 and 17, Strange said, is in keeping the ball below the hole.

``It`s easier on two,`` Strange said, ``because the green is more shallow.``

No. 2 presented its own difficulties Thursday, as rain made the tee- in Mark McCumber`s words-``a mud pie.``

But all in all, it was a relieved group of golfers who tramped through Medinah`s No. 3 course.

``No wind and soft greens,`` said John Huston, who finished two strokes off the lead with a 68. ``We won`t play this way very often.``